mysql_connect() problem - very strange

[zzzmarcus]

Recently, PHP and mySQL were working fine on my server. Now, php works--I can see phpinfo() (www.vorwaller.cc/phpinfo.php)and other php pages fine. mySql also seems to be working--I can access phpmyadmin without any problems.

The strange thing is that php and mySql have stopped working together in every case EXCEPT with phpmyadmin. Anytime I use the mysql_connect() function, I get a call to undefined function error. (http://www.vorwaller.cc/connect.php).

<?php
    $db = mysql_connect("localhost", "database", "password");
?>

What has me most confused it that a. it was working before and has now stopped and b. phpmyadmin still works. I also had a phpbb database up and running--it simply gives a blank page (www.vorwaller.cc/forum). I have other sites on the server that have the same problems.

The server is Redhat 7.2 with Ensim.

Has anyone else had this problem or can you offer me suggestions? Thank you in advance, Marcus.

[Tekime]

I probably can't offer a lot of help, but I did notice something. There was no mysql table in phpinfo. It was listed as supported under dbx, but had no table. When I run phpinfo on my own server, running PHP 4.2.1, I get a mysql table.

Have you recently updated or recompiled PHP? Did you change anything at the time this stopped working?

Also, is PhpMyAdmin located on the exact same server, or is hosted off a virtual server or different document directory?

Like I said, I probably can't offer a lot of help, but maybe some more info could help. Best of luck.

[zzzmarcus]

Thanks for the response. I noticed the table is not there either, and I cannot remember if it was there before or not. I'm assuming it was since it worked before.

I have not recompiled php, and did not (to the best of my knowledge) change anything. The only thing that I can think of is that I had a php script running that parsed a large file. It appeared to work, but a couple hours later apache had crashed. This, I believe was when it all started.

PhpMyAdmin is on the same server, under the root webserver (is that what you call it?). Vorwaller.cc is a virtual site. I have uploaded the same file (with mysql_connect()) to the root webserver with the same results. (http://216.127.80.128/connect.php)

The thing that still has me VERY confused is the fact that phpmyadmin is still working... doesn't this script also use mysql_connect? I greped the directory with phpmyadmin 2.2.0 and found it in main.php a few times --sometimes as @mysql_connect.

Thanks again.

[Tekime]

Hmm... I'll try and look into this a little more when I get out of work. I'm no guru but I do run an Apache/PHP web server, as well as PhpMyAdmin.

I'm assuming you restarted all of your services? Apache/PHP/MYSQLD?

[zzzmarcus]

Ok. Thanks for the help.

Yes, I've restarted all services, and even rebooted the server.

[zzzmarcus]

Since this morning, I've been able to upgrade to php 4.3.0-dev as well as to mySQL 3.23.49a which are both working fine.

I still cannot, however figure out why phpMyAdmin works, but no other mysql_connect() statements will.

If anyone else would like to take a crack at this, I'd be very appreciative.

[Tekime]

zzzmarcus, well, haven't found much of use for you. It would sound like that script may have caused a misconfig or damaged files somehow. It does seem really odd that phpMyAdmin still works. I might try and duplicate portions of the phpMyAdmin connection code in the same web folder, to try and narrow it down. I don't know if it's entirely possible, but perhaps phpMyAdmin is using a persistent connection and is holding on to an old connection; I've found that persistent connections can cause some weird things to happen, and they don't like to die sometimes...

I did notice that your phpinfo is showing a mysql table now; maybe that means you've repaired it? (hopefully!)

Best of luck, I'll let you know if I come across anything else.

[[deleted]]

Do you perhaps have more than one webserver installed?

[jonsof]

Dear zzzmarcus try to change your statement of mysql_connect() like this :

mysql_connect("localhost","username","password");

mysql_select_db("database_name");

mysql_query(".....");
....

mysql_close();

[[deleted]]

Changing the syntax is pointless because PHP itself says that mysql_connect() does not exist.

[jonsof]

i think that the php core has been demolished. So a really good idea for me is to reinstall the whole server components Apache, php and mysql (if it is necessary) : apache and its modules. It will took some time but i think the problem will be fixed.

A don't know any other kind of recovery of the whole system.

[[deleted]]

Re-installing mysql is not a good idea.

Neither is re-installing Apache if it's only the PHP module that is broken.

I seriously doubt that you can have a 'broken' php core that does work for phpmydmin, but at the same time insists that mysql is not compiled-in when mysql functions are called.

My guess remains that there are two apache servers, one with PHP+mysql support and one with PHP but without mysql support.

[zzzmarcus]

As far as I know, there are not two installs of apache. I don't have time to give a complete update on this now, but I'm still open to suggestions and will post the solution when I figure it out

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions so far.